Introduction
"Yee Haw! Jester's Dead!". These were the words I was listening to pounding on Cambridge SoundWorks new Desktop TheaterTM 5.1 DTT2500 Digital speakers. What we have here is the first high end set of computer speakers that offers an external amplifier, coupled with a Dolby Digital Decoder in a computer speaker system.

In July '99, I took a look at Cambridge SoundWorks FPS2000 speakers. The FPS2000's were, themselves, high quality speakers. What has Cambridge done now? They took the same satellites, added one more; and took the amplifier out of the subwoofer, and put it in an external amplifier, coupled with a Dolby Digital Decoder. This makes an already outstanding product, into an extremely outstanding product. I have been enjoying these speakers for a few weeks now, playing with the various settings and watching movies, and have fallen in love with these speakers. Cambridge SoundWorks have taken the PC speaker experience to a new level, and currently no one else has a unit like the 2500's. Below are the specifications for the DTT 2500's. Read on and we will get into their sound quality and how they work.

Specifications

	Each main, center and rear satellite speaker features a 2.5" 7 Watt long-throw speaker driver for rich, wide range sound. Main and center satellites equipped with 3 m /9 ft cables. Rear satellites equipped with 5m/16ft cables.
	The subwoofer features a 5.25" long-throw bass driver for high-impact bass output (20 Watts)
	High performance Dolby Digital decoder amplifier with built-in 24-bit Digital-to-Analog converter (DAC)
	A separate power supply adapter is included

Inputs

	Dolby Digital/SPDIF input (RCA jack)
	Front Line In stereo minijack
	Rear Line In stereo minijack
	DIGITAL DIN

The Package Contains

	Decoder amplifier with built-in Dolby Digital decoding and 24-bit Digital-to Analog Converter (DAC)
	Electronically contoured subwoofer
	Center speaker with angled stands
	Four main satellite speakers with individual stands
	2 tripod rear speaker floor stands
	Wall-mounting accessories
	Power Supply Adapter

Sound Quality
For the tests I used a Soundblaster Live sound card. The speakers offer the same outsanding sound quality as the FPS2000's, and more. The speaker setup now includes two front speakers, a center speaker, two rear speakers, and a sub-woofer. Maybe I am hearing things, but I personally think the sound is cleaner now that the amplifier is removed from the subwoofer and in its own encased unit. Cambridge has included their own "Surround" emulator called "CMSS". This setting on the amplifier has a Music, Movie, FourPoint and Stereo setting. These essentially create some simlulated sound fields similar to what's on home amplifiers (i.e. Hall, Jazz, etc.). The movie setting on the amplifier did a very decent job of simulating 5.1 sound during the DVD's I tried. Of course, listening to them using the Dolby Digital option is even better.

Decoder Amplifier

Gone is the volume control and fader on a cable. Cambridge replaced this with its new separate amplifier. This was a great move, except someone forgot to put the fader and balance knobs on the amplifier. I may get flamed for saying this, but in my opinion, who cares. I have yet to use a fader or balance knob for anything useful anyway. Things you can control from the amplifier are things like center volume, subwoofer volume (YAY!), surround volume and of course, the master volume. I can't describe how nice it is to have a real console to adjust your levels on.

Dolby Digital
Yes, that's right. You can actually watch a DVD movie on your PC now and watch it the way it was intended to be watched. In Dolby Digital AC-3 sound. Dolby Digital is essentially an advanced form of digital audio coding, allowing us to enjoy movies in a whole new way. Dolby Digital was first experienced in 1992 when movie audiences got their first taste of real sound quality. Dolby Digital AC-3 (5.1) consists of five discrete full range channels: left, center, right, left-surround, right-surround and of course number six (or the ".1" of "5.1"), the LFE (low frequency effects) channel. If you are unsure what the LFE channel is, it is commonly known as the subwoofer. Cambridge had introduced Dolby Digital to the PC desktop with their PCWorks Desktop Theater. The new 2500's are a MUCH better unit. To listen to your DVD's in Dolby Digital format, you will require a DVD Decoder card in your PC, something like a Dxr3 or Real Magic Hollywood Plus. I used the Real Magic for my tests with the unit. I tested the sound quality with various movies and one of my favorites, Top Gun. After inserting the DVD, off go the lights, and kick back and relax. The movie sounded just fantastic. Having a home DVD system already, I am fairly use to DVD and its mind-blowing sound quality. To hear this kind of quality on your PC is what will blow you away. When the gaming world starts taking advantage of DVD and Dolby Digital, things are really going to change in the PC speaker community. With these speakers you are ready for what the future has to offer.

Functionality

As usual, Cambridge has thrown everything but the kitchen sink into the box. You can mount the speakers on the wall or on your desk, and mount the rears on some very nice stands. Here is another thing I would like to comment on. In my FPS2000 review, I mentioned the stands were a little short. Well, either I influence Cambridge SoundWorks decisions (Yah right!), or they realized that the old stands were inadequate. These new stands stand approximately 33" tall, and for me, they were just 3" below my ear. Aside from getting a set of $40 tripod stands, it doesn't get better than this, coming out of a cardboard box. Hooking the speakers up is quite easy. They all use normal speaker wire, except Cambridge uses an RCA jack to connect the speaker wire to the rear of the amplifier. It's still quite simple to extend the length of the rear speakers, if 16 feet isn't enough for you.

Conclusion
Cambridge SoundWorks has done it this time, introducing a product that no one can even compete with. You have a speaker package that sounds fantastic, and is priced well too. There have been some rumblings that the price is a little high. Well, the cost of a Dolby Digital Decoder is not cheap. Comparing the price of the FPS2000's, which retail for approximately $170, the new DTT2500's retail for $260. Come on, you get another speaker and a digital decoder for $90. What more could you ask for?. To date, in my opinion, there isn't a better speaker package out there that includes Dolby Digital decoding for your PC. This is why we are awarding these speakers with an Editor's Choice Award. Cambridge has put a lot of effort into a set of speakers that give the user everything in one single package. In this single package is fantastic sound quality along with the capability to enjoy DVD's the way they were intended to be, with Dolby Digital sound.